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Thousands of fans of Korean pop music in Shanghai are fuming after a brief concert by K-pop boy band EXO ended up costing them around 1,000 yuan per song.

Organisers of the concert on Sunday night had stated the band would be performing 10 songs, as well as interacting with fans, during what was billed as a three-hour concert. However, the band left the stage at the Shanghai Gymnasium – which holds around 8,000 spectators – after 30 minutes, having performed only five songs. With tickets costing between 4,000 yuan (HK$4,800) and 6,000 yuan,

and front-row seats 10,000 yuan, many fans were outraged and demanded refunds.

China News Service reported yesterday that the city’s culture administration had ordered refunds be paid, but concert-goers have to travel to an office building in Shanghai to collect their money, regardless of how they bought their tickets or where they live.

EXO, a large boy band formed in 2011, performed two sold-out concerts at Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo in August last year. They are one of the biggest pop groups signed to the South Korean entertainment conglomerate S.M. Entertainment, also home to K-pop giants Super Junior, Girls’ Generation and Shinee.